Ben Simmons was all set to resume his NBA career after taking the season off to physically recover. Well, after not only returning but also looking like he had worked his way up to starting for the Sacramento Kings, he suffered the worst setback possible: tearing his Achilles.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Simmons tore his Achilles days before he was all set to come back, which is just devastating after the work he put in physically and emotionally to come back. It's a bad break, and it's another addition to the list for Simmons, but Jayson Tatum's return to the Boston Celtics should keep Simmons optimistic.
For decades, a torn Achilles typically meant the end of one's NBA career. There were exceptions, like Dominique Wilkins, but more often than not, an Achilles tear meant the worst-case scenario: your career is over; the best-case scenario: your career is still intact, but it's changed for the worse. In recent years, that appears to no longer be the case.
After Kevin Durant looked mostly like himself after tearing his Achilles, Tatum is the latest superstar to come back looking mostly like himself. He definitely will have something to prove this season, but Tatum came back earlier than expected, and after a few games into the preseason, he looks like prime Tatum.
It's his example that should keep Simmons optimistic that this is simply just a hiccup and doesn't change anything. Simmons isn't as good as Tatum is, but because Tatum looks like himself, Simmons should use that to stay motivated to come back just as good as he was before.
It's not just Tatum
Tatum may be a more recent example, but he is not the only one. Multiple players not too far from Tatum's level are also returning from an Achilles tear. Despite such a devastating injury, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard look like they won't be held back too much by the injuries they suffered.
So evidently, Tatum's not an exception, but could have been the start of a revolutionary trend. Tatum is a special player, but the fact that he could be good enough to continue building on his legacy reflects more on how much better recovering from Achilles tears has become over the years, especially if Lillard and Haliburton do the same.
It sucks that this happened to Simmons, but this is no longer the death sentence it once was, which is great news for him, even if the recovery is going to be long.
Best of luck to Simmons going forward. He didn't deserve this, nobody wanted this for him, and everyone should be cheering for him to get back on that horse. It may be a while, but knock on wood, Simmons will be back on the hardwood in no time!
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